Pale Reflections
by Agagite Whispers
Summary: Gaius Baltar has a new lab assistant. Begins during the miniseries.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

She leaned against the cold steel wall, taking deep breaths, she peered around the lab door, a voice caught her off guard "Doc's new assistant?" she nodded, "Well you can't go in like that." He reached down a long white lab coat and held it out, she took it gratefully, she could never have reached it down for herself, she was shaking, her nerves threatening to get the better of her.

How long had it been since she had seen him? Not since they had been children on i. Would he recognise her? No of course not. He had changed so much since then, he was a renowned scientist, how was it he had been described "One of the greatest minds of our time."

She laughed at the memory of them trying to herd sheep together, agricultural life had never suited him, she hazarded another glance around the door frame, she swallowed her fear and made her way in "Dr Baltar?"

He turned to face her, her breath caught, she tried to speak but could only make a strange squeaking sound, she pulled a stretchy band from her wrist and swiftly tied back her long hair. It was bright pink, the colour of fuchsia flowers in summer. She had only dyed it the night before and it was almost painfully bright under the unnatural lights.

He came towards her, extending his hand. She shook it nervously "You're my new assistant?" he asked, she nodded fervently not trusting herself to speak.

How many years had she spent adoring him from afar, they had been best friends, how much it had hurt when he had gone with Lottie the milkmaid from the farm three fields over, she had never said a word in protest. But she had found her excuses to see less of him after that, he had never cared, and then he had gone to Caprica, and she determined to find a way to make him notice her had devoted her life to studying the sciences, eventually winning herself a scholarship to Caprica university, Caprica it was all he had talked about. Oh to be Caprican.

He had lost the harsh accent of Aerilon; his voice was soft now, smooth as honey. Yet another improvement. She had trained herself out of it as well, it had been a nightmare, to purge herself of a lifetime of learned habits, but she had managed it, even coming top of her year, she had managed to have herself assigned to the Galactica, she had been one of the lucky ones escaping Caprica two days before the Cylon attack.

Now she stood looking about the simple lab, the first of her goals achieved. He did not recognise her, of that she was certain and glad; it gave her a new chance.

There were too many things that she had left unsaid, she could have told him before he left, but instead had hidden in her room sobbing into one of her science books, unable to bear the thought that he would not notice her absence, Lottie had gone of course, she heard he had broken her heart, it gave her a little cruel pleasure.

He was speaking with his back to her, "Are you alright?"

She smiled as brightly as she could, "Yes Gaius."

He turned sharply, giving her a questioning look; he had not offered her his name.

She mentally stumbled for an excuse "I'm a great fan of your work."

He preened a little at that. That was the Gaius she had loved, so sure of himself, so arrogant everything she was not. "I'm flattered, but enough pleasantries we have work to do, come here" she went to his side, keeping her head down, not trusting herself to be able to look at him and focus on her work at the same time.

He explained that he was trying to work out how the Cylon's had managed to launch their attack with such devastating effects, no sooner had the twelve worlds fighters engaged the enemy they had almost all lost the ability to command their crafts, it was as though a switch had been thrown. He said that the Cylons must have found a way to pervert the defence mainframe he had constructed, that shut down their defences.

She watched him closely; he was speaking too rapidly, and blinked his wide dark eyes more than was natural. Guilt. What had he done? He knew something more than he was telling her, she was certain. It was exactly the way he'd behaved when she asked if he liked Lottie as more than a friend and he'd denied it. Now she knew he had never liked her in a romantic sense or even enjoyed her company, she had just been a boost for his ego. Lottie the great beauty of Aerilon with her long hair the colour of fresh cut wheat, her wide blue eyes.

She had never been able to compete. She had been quite overweight back then, rather too fond of her grandmother's roast dinners and rich puddings. Her unfortunate appearance depressed her and so she binged on rich foods to feel better it was a cruel cycle.

The girls of Cuttlesbreath-Wash had teased her mercilessly and so she had watched Gaius flit between them like a butterfly in high summer knowing that he would never look her way for anything beyond friendship.

She spent the day in front of the computer, removing all traces of Gaius's defence programme from the system and every few hours permitting herself a glance his way.

He came and leaned over her shoulder, watching the screen as she worked, leaning against the desk, his hand inches from her own, she shook her head a little to clear it and valiantly fought the urge to move her hand from the touchpad.

His voice was soft "I think that's almost finished." She watched the symbols flash across the screen, hit the enter button, the screen beeped and she watched the countdown bar slowly turning green. It was done. She looked up "The system's clear Dr Baltar." He smiled and her heart skipped a beat. "Excellent, you can go now."

She scraped her chair back and stood, pausing for a moment in the doorway. He looked up "Yes?"

She smiled "Nothing…See you tomorrow"

She stripped her lab coat and left it on the back of the computer chair and hurried from the room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

She lay curled in her bed, in her tiny quarters. Most of the space was taken up with her copious collection of books. A small stuffed sheep toy that he had won for her at one of the small fairs back on Aerilon was mostly hidden beneath the thin blankets of her bunk. She was curled over the only picture she had of her with Gaius they had only been nine when it was taken, a handsome boy with wide brown eyes and long hair had his arm about a well rounded girl, that was what her grandmother had called it "Well rounded" or as she grew older "Voluptuous." No one had dared simply come out and say that she was fat, except for the other girls of course. Her mother had kindly tried to say that they must be jealous of her.

Her cheeks burned and tears welled in her eyes as the memory, a boy at that fair had called her a fat ugly fright and in a rare moment of heroism Gaius had bloodied his nose and damn near broken his own hand. She giggled to herself remembering how he had whined when she treated his hand and wrapped it in gauze and her mother's home-made tonic to ease bruising.

He was a coward there was no denying it, how many times had he been more afraid of the giant spiders that lived in her fathers barn than she was, she remembered those beautiful eyes widening and the cute way he gibbered when a particularly beastly specimen had attempted to make a new home in his hair while they were bringing in the hay from harvest and she'd had to save him from it. Poor Gaius.

But every now and then he had overcome his natural aversion to doing the right thing and shown a much more caring side.

He had always been sweet with her, they had shared their toys as children and he had always been there for her, they lived between each others farms and their parents were happy to let them run wild together. He had taught her to milk a cow and she had shovelled the manure to save his delicate sensibilities the horror of having to do it himself.

She remembered the giant cuddly spider she had bought him, she had been going to give it to him before he left, even though he was of course far to old for such frivolities, as it was she had been the coward that day and now it simply sat on her desk, and scared the frak out of her every time it caught her eye.

She had missed him; she had regretted her silence every day. How many letters had she written to him and never sent?

How many nights had she lain awake dreaming of him and wondering in some quiet corner of her mind if he ever thought of her?

Her parents had been so proud when she started to lose the weight, she had taken up running every day and to begin with people had laughed at her, but then the weight came off slowly and people began to treat her differently, boys who had teased her began to pay attention to her though of course she rejected them all soundly. They had been cruel to her when she was fat, though after the incident at the fair never when Gaius had been around. Why should the way she looked make any difference?

She remembered how her dear granny had cried the day she got her scholarship to Caprica City and how her mother had ensured she packed her stuffed sheep, and had put the picture of her with Gaius into her small box of belongings not an hour before the ship left knowing she secretly could not bear to leave it behind whatever her daughter claimed otherwise.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

She rolled at a knock on the door, and moved to open it. Her quarters were less quarters and more a glorified broom closet. A young Asian woman with her long dark hair tied back extended her hand, "Boomer" without a thought she shook "Sparx"

Boomer smiled broadly, she had that wide friendly smile that instantly put you at ease. "New lab assistant yes? Come play Triad with us"

Sparx blinked, "Triad?"

"Cards" Boomer's smile never slipped; nervously Sparks got to her feet and approached the doorway of her quarters "Bring something to bet." Sparx paused, she hadn't brought much with her, but she pulled her moneybag out of her drawer and followed Boomer down the long chrome halls, people stood scattered about in little clots, some in uniform some off duty in casual attire.

The mess hall was huge, people sat about at small chrome tables and chairs, she watched where Boomer sat and sank down into the chair opposite. Stakes were made; she drew the chips from her moneybag, and laid them on the table. She listened to the gentle flick as Boomer dealt the cards; she picked up the sheaf of playing cards and examined the strange symbols staring back at her.

Triad was not a game she played before; in fact the only card game she had ever won was SNAP with Gaius when they were five.

She glanced about the table, Boomer looked up still smiling, a young woman with petite features and short blonde hair sat to her left, an older man mostly bald but with a little white hair, Tigh the ship's XO, she had heard his name mentioned when she had boarded, a ship of survivors from Caprica had been brought on board alongside her own ship. Gaius had been one of them; she had only seen him for a brief instant, disheveled and bleeding but alive before she was ushered off to her quarters for her induction, then today she cleared the memory on the lab computer of all traces of the defense system.

She stared blankly at the cards in her hand, as one by one the players about her folded, a voice next to her ear murmured "Full Colours"

Gaius

She looked up, "What's Full Colours?"

He laughed and swept the chips from the table dropping them into her lap "It means you won, I'm sorry to interrupt but I need you back in the lab"

She stood instantly, "Oh…um of course doctor" she turned to face the table "thank you…for letting me play."

Her companions nodded and smiled, Boomer waved from the other side of the table. A young woman nudged the man next to her pointed to Sparx and muttered something she assumed she never wanted to hear; she followed Gaius in silence back down the hallways, "Is this the way back to the lab?" she asked cautiously.

He gave her a dazzling smile "Of course, and it's not just a lab it's known as the CIC."

They reached the doorway and she followed him in, screens flashed in the darkness, she could smell the clean sharp scent of the liquid used to sterilize the lab equipment.

She watched as he sank into one of the chairs behind the desk, she stayed standing he looked up and gestured to the chair beside him, nerves twisted her stomach into a painful knot.

She didn't feel safe alone with him, he had changed almost beyond recognition, and they weren't on Aerilon anymore.

They were no longer Gaius and his fat best friend, she was in unchartered territory, even when they were seventeen her mother had happily allowed him to sleep in Sparx's room with her, safe in the knowledge that her daughters unfortunate looks would be enough protection to prevent anything…unwelcome.

Cautiously she moved to sit down, he turned and held up a bottle, Ambrosia whiskey, strong stuff, her father had drunk it straight night after night.

He produced two glasses from somewhere in the confines of his desk and waved them the way she had seen other men brandish a winning hand in poker.

Her chair scraped back with a sickening screech, she stood so fast she knocked it over.

He smiled and her stomach flipped, he raised one of the glasses it's amber contents gleaming in the flash of the monitors, "Come on Sparky, one drink won't hurt." His voice was smooth as satin, beguiling, slowly she bent to set the chair right and sat down once more.

He held out the glass, she felt as though her were offering her poison. He batted those wide dark eyes; she took the glass and threw back the whisky with all the skill of a seasoned alcoholic.

It burned her throat and brought tears to her eyes, she set the glass back on the desk. He instantly re filled it for her; she eyed it weighing her options.

She had never been one for vice, she had never even drank before tonight, nor smoked nor engaged in any of the other hedonistic activities others of her age had, not even on Caprica with it's sex parties and smoke bars. She had been a model of restraint and sobriety…boring in other words.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

She eyed the glass on the desk; he raised his own glass "come on Sparky, one more can't hurt."

She paused, her rational brain doing battle with the alcohol that was slowly beginning to impair her senses, Ambrosia whisky was lethal stuff. She made her voice soft and flirtatious as she had heard Lottie do when they were younger "I do believe you are trying to get me drunk doctor."

He laughed all wide eyed innocence "Would I do such a thing?" he was responding to her fumbling attempts at flirtation, her stomach flipped, how many nights had she wasted inventing such impossible scenarios in her head, where she would be brave enough to express her feelings and he would respond in kind.

She raised the glass and drained it, the room was becoming unfocused "So…what was it you needed me for…" she couldn't think straight.

His voice was casual "I lied, I don't need you for anything…I just thought that since we are going to be working together in such close confines it might be a good idea if we…got to know each other a little better." He moved closer to her, she forced herself to sit perfectly still, not to move away. This was what she had wanted for all these years…wasn't it?

He lay his hand on her thigh, she could feel the heat of his skin through her trousers he was leaning so close she could see her own reflection in his eyes; it was too much, to fast.

She leapt up and began to back away, he looked utterly taken aback, normally women all but fell at his feet, yet here she was backing away. "Excuse me doctor…it's late…I must be going…I will see you tomorrow…for work…thank you for the drink" her cheeks burned as bright as her hair and she stumbled to the door. He sat staring after her, she glanced back, and he raised his glass to her.

She followed the cold metal of the wall with her hands, leaning against it to support herself, the hallway and people who occupied it were a mess of colour, each blending with the other, like watercolours in the rain. It was far to bright, she felt gentle hands on her shoulders, she had staggered back to the mess hall, Boomer was helping her to stand a look of friendly concern on her beautiful face, "Sparx are you ok?"

Sparx groaned she was certain if she tried to speak then she would vomit.

"Gods someone get a chair" Boomer snapped, a cold metal chair was dragged over, the sound of it made Sparx's head sting, "So, pulled a late night with the doc did you?" a man with short dark hair sniggered "Now that's dedication your job." His tone became serious "Be careful of him Sparky."

Boomer took her arm gently, "Come on, let's get you back where you belong." She supported her back to her own quarters, and paused to admire the sheep. Sparx felt like she was five years old again as Boomer wished her a good night and hit the switch to kill the lights on her way out.

Sparx lay in the dark, clutching the sheep tight, as though the harder she held it the more it could diminish the agony in her head. Why had she been such a coward! He'd never want her now; he wanted a woman who could be his equal, who could be a challenge to him and by the look of it who could drink him under the lab table.

Fine.

She had already changed so much, what was a little more; she needed to unwind, to become less concerned with what others thought of her, if she wanted Gaius she had to be bright enough to catch his interest, and interesting enough to keep it.

Would he hate her for running out on him like that? No, he would see it as challenge. She settled against the pillows, clutching her stomach, Gods that stuff really was poison.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

She awoke, and instantly wishes she could have slept eternally. Her head felt as though it was on fire, the room swam, she groaned and crawled from her bunk. Staggered to the tiny shower cubicle and drank cold water straight from the tap, she splashed her face and rubbed it across the back of her neck. She checked the clock that stood beside her bed 0.900 hours, she was late. "Frak!" she stumbled from the room, the lights in the hall burned her eyes. "Morning Sparx." She waved unsteadily as she passed a group in the hall, she's only been aboard three days but people were beginning to recognise her, she groaned they'd probably all heard about her little after hours stint in the lab last night, and had no doubt it had been horribly embellished, judging by the way a number of the women were looking at her as she passed.

The CIC was buzzing with people. The older man, Tigh was speaking to the Commander; she made her way to the lab section and sank down next to Gaius "What does Commander Adams look so worried about?"

"Adama…actually, and by the look of it I must remind you we are now at war, the human race could very well face extinction."

She smiled "Is it true we have to find a way to detect for Cylons?"

He nodded, "Shhh, we must be very discreet about it; we need to take blood samples from every member of the fleet. If only I could think of a pretext for doing so without raising suspicion"

They sat in silence for a few minuets "Hmm… What if you claimed it was to prepare a vaccine? They'd allow that, if they thought it was for something as innocent as inoculation. Surely no one could protest."

His eyes lit up, "That's not such a bad idea, yes we could try that…I want you to prepare a list of all members of the fleet and assign a time for them to come here so that we can take a blood sample, you can take some yourself if you like. It would be good experience for you"

She nodded and scooted her chair to face the computer, she hit the power button. Technology on this ship was so backwards; Adama would not allow a single networked piece of equipment. She giggled at the sight of Gaius spinning absentmindedly in his chair whilst staring at the ceiling, without thinking she squeaked her trainers across the bolted steel floor and sent her own chair flying into him; they ended up in a tangled laughing heap on the floor.

William Adama looked across in time to watch them collide, warned by the horrendous squeak of Sparx's shoes "Will you two pack it in!" he thundered.

She giggled and climbed back onto her chair, Gaius was watching her every movement, this trying to be more fun to be around thing really was working.

She hurriedly went back to entering names and times into the computer before the Commander decided it was worth his effort to over and reprimand them.

The ship jolted suddenly and Sparks found herself on the floor again. Adama was bellowing orders, Viper pilots were to be deployed, they were under attack, a fire had begun in the lower hanger, there were people trapped inside, they had to kill the fire or risk losing the ship, the technician was pleading with Tigh to give him one more minuet, the XO screamed that they didn't have a minuet. The doors were locked, twenty eight people had managed to escape the rest…hadn't.

Gaius reached across and squeezed her hand, forty seconds. That was all that was needed; forty seconds and they would all have been alive. The fun of a few seconds ago had vanished; Adama ordered a tempory morgue set up.

She turned back to the computer and began to input names once more, she shuddered, they were men and women she had seen about the ship, some only a few hours before. Tears stung her eyes, she printed the order of tests and handed them to Gaius he looked the over and ordered them sent out across the ship.

Sparx sat huddled on her chair, a fierce blow rocked the Galactica, she watched Commander Adama lose his balance and saw his face smash the panel in front of him, more shouting, more orders. Dualla was acting as the bridge between the Galactica and her Viper Pilots, the Cylons were attacking mercilessly, she looked up to the monitors her eyes frantically following the tiny yellow dots that symbolised a pilot as they burst into a small yellow circle. Gone. Destroyed in the battle.

She had heard the stories of the Cylon War of course but this was a new and sickening experience, she knew nothing about battle, she was just a farm girl from Aerilon.

She could make a nuclear explosive device in less than three hours but that didn't prepare her for war. They sat watching the monitors she felt as if they were watching a Pyramids game as opposed to the end of the world.

The end of the world

They were all going to die…


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Without a thought she leaned across, caught Gaius by the front of his shirt, pulled him close and kissed him, it was hot, rushed and desperate, a kiss for the end of the world. The last thing she wanted to do before the human race was wiped out. How she wanted more than anything to spend her last seconds of life, with him, like this.

She pulled away, her breathing ragged. The world had not ended…Frak!

She heard Dualla sniggering, Commander Adama was watching her as though she had just announced she was really a Cylon.

"Well that was…very enthusiastic, a clear ten for effort. Commander what is the probability that you can place us in a life or death situation within the next few moments?"

The ship laughed, even Tigh snorted. Adama looked as though he would dearly love to have Gaius air locked. "On your own time Doctor"

Sparx turned back to the computer; she heard the pilots ordered to return, as the ship readied herself for an emergency hyper Space jump, they needed ammunition. Lieutenant Gaeta was ordered to plot the coordinates, alone.

The ship shuddered, and Sparx's stomach lurched as they jumped in a brilliant flash of red light.

They were clear; one by one the ship's personnel retired their duties for the day, some to return to their quarters or to play Triad, others to mourn the dead and place photographs in the hall of remembrance.

Sparx stayed where she was, learning to navigate the ship's computers and interior defence system. It was archaic no wonder they were going to turn it in to a museum, but now it was back in active service, she laughed it was funny one day she'd been herding sheep on Aerilon and now here she was facing the extinction of her race.

She turned to face him, they were alone again. The silence seemed to echo.

The whisky bottle and shot glasses appeared on the desk, Sparx shook her head "I'm going to feel like hell tomorrow"

Gaius raised his glass to her "Then I promise to make it worth it."

She raised her own glass "You'd better"

He winked at her and Sparx choked on her whisky.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

She slammed her glass back on the table, Gaius produced a deck of cards and lay them beside her empty glass, she smiled "Triad?"

He shook his head laying them aside. "I have never"

She giggled, a risky choice, one player claimed I have never and if their opponent had performed said action they drank a shot, if the original claimant was lying, they also had to drink.

His eyes gleamed wickedly. "

She nodded; he filled their glasses and raised his to her "I have never cheated on an exam."

For a moment neither moved, then both drank, and proceeded to stare at the other in shock.

Sparx refilled and raised her glass "I have never had a boyfriend"

Neither drank.

Gaius smiled, "I have never shot a Cylon"

Neither drank.

She paused, and raised her glass "I have never fancied my best friend"

He drank, she did also. The room was blurring, she steadied herself on the lab desk. He rolled his wide dark eyes at her "Come on Sparky your pathetic."

He raised his glass "I have never considered fraking you!"

She drank, and waited; he raised his own glass and to her delight downed the shot.

She announced in a loud and slurred voice "I have never had sex with a Cylon"

He drank, she gave a horrified squeal. He winked at her again.

"I have never thought that Commander Adama is a power mad frakwit"

They drank in unison.

It was her turn; she paused struggling to think of a question through the haze of whisky.

"I have never tried to get you drunk"

They both downed their shots.

"I have never wondered what you look like naked" he claimed

She swallowed the burning whisky. He sat perfectly still, gave her a look of feigned shock and then downed his own.

"I have never had an affair."

He drank.

"I have never lost my virginity" her voice was shy.

He drank, she didn't.

She was giggling like a fool. They were sprawled drunkenly across the table, the whisky bottle sat between a Bunsen burner and a tray of blood samples.

Sparx lifted it and morosely examined the contents "We're almost out." She sighed and dropped her head to the table, Gaius was laughing at her "And your not nearly drunk enough yet." She giggled.

He stood unsteadily, came around the table and slipped one of her arms about his shoulders, lifting her to her feet; she swayed against him, the room a dizzying haze of metal and bright lights, "Where are we going?" they staggered to the door and followed the wall "More whisky"

Sparx's common sense was trying to warn her brain of the potentially compromising situation she was on the verge of putting herself in, she ignored it.

A hand on her other shoulder, Boomer looked down at her, Sparx was clearly hammered. Her eyes huge and glassy, "Hey come on Sparky let's get you back to bed." Boomer tried to take her arm, and lead her away; Sparx shook her off and clung on to Gaius "I'm ok, we're going to have a drink and then I'm going to bed, promise" her words were slurred and seemed to stumble over each other, Boomer leaned a bit closer "That's what worries me Sparky." She tried once more ineffectually to take her arm, when it didn't work; she sighed "I'll see you in the morning Sparky…..be careful" and watched them stagger away.

She leaned against the wall as he opened the door to his quarters and gestured her inside, she was swaying, he took her hand and helped her through, the door closed behind her with the scrape of metal.

She gazed around the cramped room, gathering her courage she passed the chair by the desk and moved to sit on the bed.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

She watched him make his way to the desk and pull out two more shot glasses and a full bottle of whisky. He moved to sit beside her and offered her a glass; she took it, watching as it filled with amber.

She drank it dry.

She leaned over him to put her glass on the locker beside the bed she felt his hand caressing the back of her head, pulling the band from her hair, pink waves tumbled down over her shoulders, he ran his fingers through it. "What colour is this really?"

She lay along the bed, looking up at him. "Brown." She reached up, running her fingers through his own long, brown waves. "A bit darker than this."

He smiled down at her. "I like this better…much more interesting"

She blushed delightfully; he liked something about her appearance. She had wasted years dreaming of being beautiful and now that it was happening she found that she felt awkward and childish.

Swallowing her fear, she reached up and caught the back of his neck, pulling him down on top of her. She kissed him once more, with all her years of dreams and the taste of her longing on her lips, sweet as berries in high summer.

And for the first time in her life he kissed her back, really truly kissed her as though she was beautiful; and even if only for tonight she was all that mattered.

He ran his hands up her sides and her nerves rushed back burning like fire in her belly. She felt light headed, unable to decipher whether it came from fear or alcohol.

She was perfectly still, relishing the heat of his body pressed against hers. She slipped her hands up inside his shirt and ran her fingernails down his back, she smiled at his sharp indrawn breath and moved her mouth to his neck, he writhed against her as she moved her hands back to the front of his shirt slowly undoing the buttons.

Chief's voice echoed in her head like a dream "Be careful of him Sparky"

Frak that.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

She awoke; her clothes were all in place. She looked up to see Gaius smiling down at her, his fingers twined into the strands of her hair "Did we…?"

He shook his head "You passed out."

Her cheeks flushed scarlet "I'm sorry…Gods that's so embarrassing."

He laughed and slid from the bed, re buttoned his shirt and offered her his hand, she took it and they wandered to the CIC, he let go before they reached the door, her stomach constricted, she couldn't believe she'd passed out.

She settled in front of her computer and tried to ignore Gaius, he was skittering behind her with blood samples, she was going through the fleet's list of names, everyone aboard must be tested for Cylon indicators.

She checked off the names of those whose samples had already been taken, Gaius came over to her, he held out a hypodermic needle "Can you take a blood sample?"

She nodded, Lords she had taken enough at Caprica.

His voice was smooth, reassuring "I'll let you take the next batch then, ok? I have a lot of work to be doing"

She looked down at the print out in her hand, and then stood "Lieutenant Felix Gaeta."

A man turned from one of the computer terminals, the tactical officer.

He came towards her, she arranged her face into a pleasant smile, he pulled the chair out and sat opposite her, she held up her needle, "A blood sample…for the vaccine we're developing"

Such beautiful eyes.

She had shocked herself; she had never noticed any man other than Gaius.

Felix held out his arm to her, she tried to focus, to stop her hands shaking.

She heard his indrawn breath as the needle pierced his copper skin and she drew his blood, red as wine.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

She drew blood for three more crew members, and then it was down to testing for synthetic traces, she carefully took each needle and gave it Gaius, she watched unable to work out exactly what he was doing and simply contented herself to sit and watch him, it felt so unreal somehow, she remembered the nights she had spent hunched over her textbooks, how when she tired she would take out the picture of them together and remind herself why she was doing all this.

She remembered her mother's indulgence when she was a child, how he was all that she had talked about. It must have seemed rather pathetic she realised.

The way she had watched him with one girl after another and the nights she had wasted in tears.

And now, just when it could finally have been her, she had passed out. Her grandmother had always warned against the evils of drink.

Poor granny, Sparx offered a silent prayer to the gods to care for her dear soul. She would have died on Aerilon with all the others. Her parents…

It suddenly sank in; her parents would have died with her.

There was no Aerilon anymore. All the places that she remembered would have been decimated in the Cylon attack. She imagined the little cottage where she had grown up, a thatched roof and the roses her mother had grown around the door. It would be a pile of smoking rubble, if that.

She blinked furiously, struggling to hold in her grief and struggled to focus her attention upon the screen, the hours crawled by like years. People bustled around the CIC, Adama barked orders and Sparx felt her head lolling with exhaustion and grief, she felt a hand on her shoulder, she looked up, Gaius helped her to her feet and ran his hand across her cheek "You're crying."

She blushed and swiftly wiped her eyes on her sleeve, he pulled her close and held her, she clung to him barely daring to breathe. "I'm sorry…it's just…my family…It suddenly occurred to me that they…would have died in the Cylon attack."

He nodded a look of pity on his face. "I am sorry for your loss. But you will be safe here. We can work together, you can start again, we will find earth and you can make a new home"

"It would never be home without you." She clapped a hand to her mouth; she had not meant to say it.

He laughed nervously "What did you say?"

She shook her head, blushing furiously "I am sorry…It was nothing….I just…" her nerves were stretched to breaking point, would he remember? They were the last words she had spoken to him before he left Aerilon all those years ago.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The ship rocked, the Cylons had caught up to them, Sparx gave Gaius a look of utter terror, and he took her hand and squeezed her fingers "Panicking won't help. I would offer you another drink but…"

Tigh was roaring orders and generally scaring the Frak out of everyone, it was horrible, so many survivors dead, only those ships capable of making a faster than light jump had escaped, a new President had been sworn in only hours earlier, Laura Roslin, she had tried to save the surviving civilians and failed when the Cylons had caught up to them. Most had died, now the crew was working without sleep, a pattern had been established, the Cylons appeared on Dradis every thirty three minutes, an emergency jump was ordered, over and over, tempers were flaring, nerves fraying. Gods she was so tired…Gaius smiled and pulled off his jacket, folding it over and laying it on the desk "Sleep Sparky" she smiled dreamily up at him.

He had always taken care of her, at last they had jumped one final time and the Cylons had not followed, thank the Gods, the CIC had slowly emptied as the crew finally left for some well earned rack time, she awoke to Colonel Tight thumping the desk beside her head as he left "Wake up! Your not here for a holiday! You could have slept through the frakking Cylon invasion!"

Gaius put himself between them, "That is enough Colonel. She is as exhausted as any of the others, show some heart man."

Tigh made a growling noise of anger and left. He despised Gaius that much she could tell. "Thank you, doctor." She struggled to her feet, he caught her arm and she started at his touch, he gazed down at her and she swallowed hard and forced herself to hold his eyes, she smiled turned and made her way back to her quarters, curled up in her bed with her stuffed sheep and re-read the hundred letters that she had begun to Gaius and never sent. Her mother had found them and hidden them in one of her old textbooks.

She cried her eyes out that night, wishing her family were still at her side. The letters broke her heart all over again.

She had always cherished the seemingly insignificant things with Gaius, when he let her win a game as a child, or helped her on a test, as they had grown she had been grateful for the attention he paid her.

Her mother had tried to encourage her to tell him how she felt; she had staunchly refused, saying that he would laugh at her. And so her poor mother had watched her pine for him, all these years. For a moment she considered taking the photograph, going to him, kissing him and admitting everything. How she had adored him since they were tiny children, how she had tortured herself into learning science just so that she could follow him to Caprica, that she had survived the Cylon attack, and had found a ship willing to take her off the planet at the last moment, then she had been transferred to the Galactica when she had claimed to be a scientist, thinking that she could be of some use. That she had looked out from the hatch and seen him, bleeding and stunned and felt that life was worth living just to know that he was safe.

She found herself standing beside the box, the picture in her hand. Trying to brace herself to walk out through that door…

She couldn't do it. If he knew who she was he wouldn't want her.

She stuffed the picture back into the box, cringing she grabbed the toy spider and pushed it down on top to hide it.

She reached for her purse and made her way into the hall, it was time to lose some money and forget her troubles.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

She made her way to the mess hall, it was all but deserted apart from Boomer, a blonde woman she had heard called Starbuck and…Gaius.

Frak!

She stopped in the doorway, what should she do?

She squared her shoulders, raised her chin, and went in regardless; he looked up and winked surreptitiously.

Sparx felt her cheeks burning.

He gestured to the chair beside him; she made her way about the table as the hall filled up, and in her nerves she bumped into it. Starbuck snorted; she sank into the seat, head lowered, peering out from behind a curtain of flaming pink locks.

She played a bad hand and lost her money; played a better one and won it back. On and on it went: some people bet money, some civilian clothes, others commodities, cigarettes, soap or alcohol.

Gaius leaned over and whispered advice. Sparx giggled over her hand. She saw Starbuck watching, and slowly and deliberately moved herself closer, laying her hand on his thigh and holding her cards closer, he examined the spread and drew one out, throwing it down with flourish upon the steel table top.

Sparx yelled in triumph: she had won. Again.

He was smiling as she stood and swept up her not inconsiderable winnings. She threw a bar of soap to Starbuck. "You need it more," she winked.

Gaius tried to hide his laughter, Starbuck stood suddenly and Sparx stepped back. She saw the cruel smile, she remembered it well: the sneer of the school bully when the new kid is about to be made into mincemeat.

Gaius stood. "Ladies, please!"

He put an arm around Sparx's shoulder and turned to Starbuck. "You must forgive her Kara; I gave her far too much ambrosia."

Sparx started to speak but he hustled her out, still whispering furiously.

He led her back to her own quarters, she turned the handle and let them in, and she went in and sat on the bed. He came in behind her, and she reached beneath her rack and drew out a bottle of ambrosia whisky. It had belonged to her father: it was the last thing she had of him. She had taken it to bed with her and sobbed over it the night he had packed his bags and left her mother, to fly away with his Caprican tart.

She dropped back onto the bed; he moved away from the door and came to sit beside her.

She held up the bottle, unscrewed the cap and swigged from it, straight from the neck. She held it out, wiping her mouth on her sleeve: he took it and drank, then leaning across her, he set it on the floor.

She lay down and he moved to lie beside her, resting his cheek upon his hand and gazing down at her, with her ridiculously coloured hair. He reached out and tugged gently at it. "You should let this wash out."

She laughed slightly.

"No, I mean it," he smiled.

She gulped and he saw her colour rise. Without a word she stood, and he watched as she pulled her shirt off over her head, her hair tie came loose sending her hair in a cascade of pink over her lily white shoulders: such a contrast.

She opened the door to her shower and smiled back at him. "Are you going to help me?"

He started at her, mute with shock. It was not like him to turn a woman down but she was so pure, so sweet. He stumbled for a moment, lost for words.

She viably deflated, her confidence shot. Her eyes filled with tears. "I'm so sorry; gods, what must you think of me?" She clutched her shirt about her chest, he looked away as she struggled back into it.

He tried to reassure her, but she was clearly humiliated "It's…it's not you…it's just that…you're too good…to…"

She gave him a weak smile. "You don't have to be nice about it, doc."

He put his arm determinedly back around her shoulders. "No. There is nothing wrong with you. Now let's just pretend this whole embarrassment never happened, hmm?"

She nodded gratefully, and in a small voice asked him which part of Caprica he had come from, they talked long into the night and as the hours passed the awkwardness eased, and for only a moment it was as if they'd never left Aerilon, she could almost feel the summer heat, smell the berries and fresh cut hay.

She fell asleep with her head upon his chest, and he decided that even he was not heartless enough to abandon a woman in distress and leave her to wake cold and alone.

At least, that was how he justified it to himself.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

She awoke in the dark, Gaius sat on the end of her bed, he was holding her teddy bear, it was brown and battered, a red patch on the foot that he had sewn onto it when they were six, it had ripped and she had cried, it had taken him an hour to do it and he was bleeding by the end.

She smiled faintly; he turned to her smiling wistfully "I had a friend once, with a bear just like this."

"What happened to her?" she asked carefully.

He became perfectly still "She…she would be dead now I suppose. She lived all the way out on Aerilon"

Sparx's throat hurt, her eyes stung "What was her name?"

"Elspeth, Elli, I called her." He looked down, cradling the tattered thing in his arms "Gods, I can't believe I only just remembered her, I…I used to think about her all the time. I must have started a thousand letters…"

Sparx moved to wrap her arms about his shoulders, "And you never sent any of them right?"

He nodded.

"Why? What was so hard to say?"

He laughed bitterly. "Gods, she was ugly…"

Sparx struggled to keep her face serene. "That's charming doc, really, what every lady wants to hear"

He shook his head, clearly agitated. "No, that's not it! I… I never got to tell her…that it didn't matter…"

Sparx's arms went slack; she leaned against his back, fighting not to cry.

Gaius went on

"She loved me, for all my faults, I hurt her so much, Lottie especially, she never spoke to me again after that…I left a few months later…I was…"

"Eighteen."

He turned to her, "Yes…How do you know?"

Sparx scrambled desperately, "I thought you said you were from Caprica? What do you mean, you left?"

The look of horror on his face was worth it. "I won't say anything," she promised. He visibly relaxed; she reached under the bed and pulled out a book: it was one of his. She grabbed a pen and held it out to him. "Sign it for me?"

He began to laugh, signed it with a flourish and handed it back, she giggled. He reached for her hand then. "How long have you been a fan then, Sparky?"

She blushed "Always…I… I wrote my last paper on one of your theories"

He preened. "Did you now. Did you pass?"

She nodded "Full marks, I…I was top of my year"

He lay back down and she lay beside him, "How did you develop an interest in science?"

It should have been a simple question, how could she answer without betraying herself?

"A boy. Actually I went to Caprica to find him."

He smiled "Did you?"

She nodded "But…"

He turned to face her, brushing her hair back from her face "You never told him…whatever it is that's too hard to say?"

She buried her face in his chest laughing, he held her tight and kissed the top of her head, "Well, that's enough talk, how would you feel about breakfast?" he stood, straightened his shirt and held out his hand.

She was still overwhelmed "With me?" she stammered

He held up the bear "No…I meant the bear, of course."

She giggled and took his hand, he opened the door and sauntered out, she glanced at the bed, noticed the missing bear and tore off after him.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Sparx took a seat beside him, she glanced around the hall people sat crammed about the small round tables, Felix, Kara, Sharon and Lee, Chief and Cally, the bear ended up on the table edge, several people pointed and laughed, civilians filed in slowly, she shuddered remembering the hall of remembrance, the haunting images that covered the walls, so numerous that one sat atop several others, Sharon stood and made her way out through the crowd, Sparx watched her retreating back and saw the way Chief sank into his chair, everyone knew they were in love, despite Colonel Tigh expressly forbidding their relationship, she glanced across at Tigh, sitting hard and grizzled beside Lee Adama, surprisingly he was treating himself to a solid breakfast, well it made a change from ambrosia whisky.

She glanced across at Gaius, his eyes were on Kara, Sparx felt her stomach drop, she shook her head "Gods Doc you've got a one track mind"

He started "How can you say that! There is nothing between Miss Thrace and I…"

Sparx began to laugh "Sure, whatever you say, why can't you ever choose someone good for you?"

He leaned across to her with a flirtatious smile "Where's the fun in that?"

She paused, and held out her hand "Do you have a cigarette?"

He smiled and pulled one out, watching fascinated as she slipped it between her cherry pink lips "You know that's bad for you?" he murmured.

She leaned close, "You're bad for me" she winked and lounged back in her chair arching her neck and blowing smoke rings just for effect.

A voice came from beside her "Trust me, you don't want to start" Laura Roslin pulled the cigarette from her hand and crushed it beneath her shoe, "Doctor I swear you're a bad influence, I have half a mind to have her reassigned"

Sparx pouted, Laura smiled gently "He's not worth your health, can you tell me where William Adama is?"

Sparx shrugged "I guess his quarters"

"Thank you, maybe you two should get to work, Doctor Baltar I expect what we discussed to be ready soon. There is no time for distractions please."

Sparx saluted and Laura laughed, she was graceful, elegant and in command, Sparx couldn't help but respect her, the President leaned down "Assistant, I'd like to see you privately if you have time."

Sparx nodded "Yes Madame President"

They watched Laura walk away, heels clicking on the metal floor.

Sparx stood and followed Gaius to the CIC, he seemed to spend the morning moving blood samples, in fact he didn't seem to be doing anything useful at all and eventually she went to him and asked straight out, "Doctor where is this Cylon detector?"

He made to stand and move away, without warning she slammed a foot down on his chair between his legs and leaned forward; he wasn't getting out of this so easily, "Doctor? Do you actually have it?"

He stammered, looking wildly about, she smiled. She had him caught in his own lie, there was no detector, and knowing him as she did, she doubted that he had any intention of making one. Which meant only one thing.

He was hiding something.

Time to play it sweet.

She smiled, all innocence, "I could help you, if there's some…problem"

He smiled, seductive and distracting "No I'm quite capable thank you, just because you haven't seen it…it was a confidential assignment. I assure you it does exist; in fact I finished it some time ago."

She could smell the fear on him, like cherries and copper "You promise Gaius? Because I'd _hate _to think what the President might do to you if she found out you were lying…if you were perhaps…_hiding _something."

He was white as milk, breathing hard; she was close enough to kiss him, "I could save you. They would airlock you, you know it. I could build what you need, if you just tell me the truth…"

He was wild eyed "You could…"

She nodded "and I will"

He relaxed into his chair

"If…you're honest with me. I know that's difficult for you"

He looked hurt and she giggled "Come on Doc you might have everyone else fooled, but not me. I'll get you what you need…"

He sighed in relief "Thank you, and I will tell you… everything but…I would be killed if anyone else knew, Gods why am I telling you this?"

She moved to slide herself onto his lap gazing up at him, "Maybe you know you can trust me."

He smiled, fear gone, he thought he could control her, that she would be a pawn in his little game just for another smile.

"Yes, I can, can't I, you'll help me won't you Sparky? You wouldn't betray me, you would _never_ tell anyone that I..." he sounded desperate as though his life depended on her help.

It was an act.

He wanted her to think that, so that she would hide his secret, whatever it was.

Now all she had to do was find out what that secret was.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Sparx went to her quarters to collect her books, she spent the next two hours drawing up plans, measuring, cutting wires, Gaius watched her carefully, she was skilled, that much was clear, she worked with a single minded devotion that astonished him, hours passed, she installed buttons, levers, and then soldered on a metal casing, it was tiny barely bigger than a blood sample tube, the machine would take a blood sample, test it for synthetic indicators and flash green if none were found, red meant the subject was a Cylon, she explained it carefully as she went, it was vital that he knew it inside out, after all she reminded him this was _his _amazing Cylon detector. It was only a proto-type of course; a larger model could be created for wider scale testing.

Six watched from behind Gaius's shoulder "She's smart Gaius. Too smart, she knows you've got secrets, are you really going to tell her? What do you think she'll do when she finds out what you did? Protect you?" she laughed seductively, "She's too dangerous…she might…expose you."

He started "What?"

Six rolled her hypnotic eyes "You really do have a one track mind, look closer Gaius, doesn't she remind you of someone?"

He leaned in, "No…I don't see anything…Who?"

Sparx turned, glancing up at him form where she crouched on the floor "What was that Doc?"

He shook his head "Oh, nothing. I wasn't speaking to you."

She looked about in confusion, they were alone. "Maybe you should get some sleep, I can finish up here, I'll be done by morning I promise."

She was so sweet, so trusting, and so…beautiful.

She seemed to glow from the inside, she was so innocent, "Sparx, promise me you won't smoke again."

She looked up "Why not?"

He reached for a strand of her bright hair twining it around his fingers "You don't have to impress me, I shouldn't have gotten you drunk or given you cigarettes, you don't need those. You're…exquisite. Just as you are."

She froze, blinking rapidly, she looked away and he saw her rub her sleeve across her eyes. Her voice was shaky "Thank you, I…I have to finish this…"

He leaned back, releasing her hair, she hurriedly went back to tinkering with the machine, at last she straightened up, with a triumphant smile and turned to him, she reached out and he waited for the warmth of her hands, she reached past him and took a blood sample.

He watched her slip it onto the machine and heard it drawn inside, lights flashed like a drink bar on Caprica, the green light flashed and then held, he smiled "Who did you test?" he asked.

"Me."

Gaius looked down in wonder, then caught her by the waist and swung her about, she laughed, and held it out to him, "Go, take it to the President."

He took it from her, "Thank you" she inclined her head and when she looked up he was gone.

Six watched her, foolish girl. She couldn't hope to come between what she shared with Gaius; he had been with other women, true. But he loved her; he always came back to her, what choice did he have?

It was God's will.


End file.
